11.3.2 Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically

11.4.1 Total per capita expenditure on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by source of funding (public, private), type of heritage (cultural, natural) and level of government (national, regional, and local/municipal)

11.5.1 Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

11.5.2 Direct economic loss in relation to global GDP, damage to critical infrastructure and number of disruptions to basic services, attributed to disasters

11.6.1 Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities out of total municipal waste generated, by cities

11.6.2 Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)

11.7.1 Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities

11.7.2 Proportion of persons victim of physical or sexual harassment, by sex, age, disability status and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months

11.a.1 Number of countries that have national urban policies or regional development plans that (a) respond to population dynamics; (b) ensure balanced territorial development; and (c) increase local fiscal space

11.b.1 Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

11.b.2 Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

No suitable replacement indicator was proposed. The global statistical community is encouraged to work to develop an indicator that could be proposed for the 2025 comprehensive review. See E/CN.3/2020/2, paragraph 23.

11.6.2 Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)

Air pollution – the contamination of the outdoor or indoor environment by a chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere – can be caused from forest fires, industrial facilities, vehicles, and household combustion devices like space heaters or gas ovens. Fine particulate matter caused by air pollution threatens both the climate and human health, resulting in acute and chronic respiratory conditions, lung cancer, heart diseases, and strokes. Nationally, the average exposure of the public to particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less, was 8.2 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021 whereas average exposure in DC, Maryland, and Virginia respectively were 7.9, 5.9, and 6.3 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021.

Important pollutants contributing to pollution in Maryland include nitrogen oxide (NOx) which contributes to smog, sulfur dioxide which contributes to fine particulate pollution and regional haze, and mercury from regional power plants. Air pollution in Virginia similarly originates from power plants, specifically in the winter months due to the larger demand to heat homes and businesses, as well as from vehicular emissions. Because of DC’s urban nature, air pollution primarily originates from vehicular emissions and emissions blowing in from neighboring states.

However, across states and even within cities, air pollution levels are uneven which contributes to health disparities between neighborhoods and population groups, further compounded by access to medical care. Outdoor pollutant exposure can induce and exacerbate asthma symptoms and decrease in lung function. Traffic-related air pollution and nitrogen dioxide exposures represent significant risk factors for asthma development in children. The percentage of adults who reported being told by a health professional that they currently have asthma in DC, Maryland, and Virginia were 10.4, 8.9, and 8.6 respectively.

A 2021 study published in the journal GeoHealth highlighted the overlap of air pollution and health disparities in Washington DC by finding higher particulate matter attributable disease burdens in neighborhoods with larger proportions of people of color, lower household income, and lower educational attainment. Neighborhoods Fort Dupont and Marshall Heights in Ward 7 for example, had particulate matter attributable mortality rates more than four times higher than their neighborhood counterparts Woodley Park (Ward 3) and Georgetown East (Ward 2).

Ward 5, where almost half of the land is zoned for industrial use, has a disproportionate number of polluting industrial sites including a city garbage-truck fleet, a paving operation, a recycling center, and a construction company. In 2021, residents of Ward 5’s historically black Brentwood neighborhood geared up to sue Mayor Muriel Bowser for the city’s plan to site a 250-bus depot and fueling station across from residential homes.

Air quality improvement initiatives come largely from government entities. Local government initiatives range from air awareness programs, public transportation and commuter benefit programs, bus fleet retrofits, neighborhood connectivity, and air permit emissions and fees. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, for example, is responsible for measuring, modeling and controlling the sources of pollution in addition to coordinating air quality and transportation planning activities, air permit emissions and fees, and providing technical and analytical support.

Water quality however is managed through an assemblage of government entities and non-profit organizations such as the DC Department of Energy and Environment, DC Water, and riverkeeper networks. Riverkeepers like the Potomac River Keeper Network and Anacostia River Keepers seek to protect the public’s right to clean water through water quality monitoring, advocacy, and restoration. Nationally, the Clean Water Act prohibits people and companies from discharging substances into bodies of water except with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits from the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Water pollution in DC stems from waste discharged into the Potomac and Anacostia rivers by permit holders and from combined sewer overflow and rainwater runoff. Water pollution in the District has led to high levels of bacteria, high pH, low levels of dissolved oxygen, and high turbidity. The Anacostia River, compared to the Potomac, has higher reported levels of E. coli bacteria and exceeds standards for turbidity and dissolved oxygen. In Virginia and Maryland, nutrient pollution from urban and agricultural sources in the Chesapeake Bay is a concern. The federal government, state governments, and local governments work in concert to clean, restore, and implement pollution reduction in the Bay.